Thinking Otherwise
by ravnesque
Summary: Mento tries to get Beast Boy to rejoin the Doom Patrol, but Raven thinks otherwise. What will Beast Boy do when Mento's pressure becomes unbearable? Will he stay, or will he go? (Prompt by McDiggity on Tumblr).


I believe this was the first prompt I had ever received, and was so excited to write it! Please read and tell me what you think. (:

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans.

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 _Dearest Garfield,_

 _How have you been, my son? The Patrol and I miss you greatly. I'm positive you've grown into a quite excellent young man, as last time we saw you, you were 16 and such a strong boy. Now that you're an adult, we believe you should come and reclaim your spot as a member of the Doom Patrol. We need you, and we miss you._

 _With all my love,_

 _Rita._

Raven entered the room, placing her kettle on the stove. Garfield stood suddenly, and a two pair of jewel tone eyes met. The green shape shifter crumpled the letter and tossed it in the trash. "Do me a favor and don't get involved." His voice was strained, and Raven melted into the kitchen tiles without another word.

The following week, the Titans had a visitor.

Mento sat opposite of Beast Boy in the Titan's dining room. "Garfield."

Beast Boy kept his head down as he greeted his former leader.

Mento hadn't changed. A standard purple and black spandex unitard, silver belt, and cold blue eyes. His powerful mind was clad in a purple helmet, which both protected his head and intensified his mind's power.

The Doom Patrol leader tilted his chin upward. "I'm not going to dance around here, son. I know you got Rita's letter, and I haven't seen you at the lair." Mento icy eyes stared frigidly down his nose, and into his adoptive son's soul.

"I'm not coming back… Sir." Garfield muttered, almost inaudibly.

"You're lucky I can read your mind, I almost couldn't hear you." Mento hissed, leaning in so his helmet touched Garfield's forehead. "You know the Doom Patrol needs you. You got Rita's letter. And you _chose_ not to come back." The mind reader stood, circling the changeling. "Garfield. Don't be an idiot. This rag tag team has been fine for you while you were a boy, but you're a man now. You need to take responsibility and _do what's right_." Mento's steady voice grew fierce into Beast Boy's pointed ear.

"Mento, I'm not coming." Beast Boy repeated, a bit louder.

"Then you're not the _man_ I thought you'd become _._ " Mento retorted. Beast Boy flashed back to the moment when he'd last disappointed Mento, when he chose to save the Doom Patrol instead of going after the Brain.

Curling his fists, Beast Boy rose from the table but didn't turn around. His adoptive father's breath was hot on his neck. "I'll go."

Mento nodded with satisfaction. "I'll see you in two days."

"Yes sir."

Beast Boy's carried a small duffle, which held only a small photo album. He had decided not to tell his teammates about his departure, it would be too hard. Starfire would bawl for days, Robin's advice would be severe, Cyborg would beg him not to go, but support him fully. Then there was Raven. How would she react? She'd probably be least affected by his absence, seeing as she didn't seem to care for him much anyway.

Beast Boy opened his bay window, preparing to fly out in eagle form.

"I can't believe you're going."

So she'd found the letter from Rita. Beast Boy shifted back but didn't dare face her.

"I'm sorry."

Raven watched his lean silhouette tense.

She knew she should be more gentle, but it just wasn't her. "You're not _sorry_. You're a _coward_."

He fought to keep his voice level. "I'm not." The duffle bag hit the floor. "Raven, I have to go. You don't understand how Mento is, and, well, they're my family." He picked at his glove.

"And what are we?" Raven asked stoically. She just couldn't draw herself to be compassionate.

Beast Boy turned to face her. Even at this hour, Raven could see those beautiful emerald eyes, glistening more than their usual sparkle. She'd always loved those eyes. "It's just…"

"It's just what. I didn't think you were so _selfish_ , Beast Boy. I thought you would stay, because, well…" Raven spoke angrily. "I thought you would stay because.." Her voice trailed off and lost it's venom.

" _Why_?" Garfield pressed. "You _thought_ what?" She remained silent. Garfield sighed, sitting on his unusually neat bed. "Raven, I have to go. It's… the right thing to do." He parroted Mento, but began to question himself.

 _Mento himself had said I'm a man now, I need to rejoin my family and fight more formidable sources of evil. Of course, what's a higher source of evil than Trigon himself? Or my own inner beast?_

Shaking away his thoughts, Beast Boy spoke. "Besides," Finally, he found a justification for leaving. "There's nothing here for me."

 _Raven will never love me, and at least in the Doom Patrol they let me wear a mask to hide this hideous green face._

The immediate response, was Raven taking a step back. Her simple reply practically pierced his heart, which was currently on its way to his stomach.

The springs of the bed squeaked as Garfield stood and prepared to exit. He pushed the window up, and grabbed his bag. "I'm going. See you around, Rae." He tried to be chipper, failing, of course. Crouching on the windowsill, he prepared to take flight.

Like lightening, a jolt of black energy struck the window closed. The sudden slicing motion almost took off the tip of his nose. Apparently, when it came to his departure, a certain sorceress thought otherwise.

"What do you mean there's _nothing_ here for you?" Raven hissed, a touch of a demonic voice undertoned her bored vocals. She invaded his space mercilessly. Moonlight illuminated her alluring features, like an intricate porcelain doll that Beast Boy could admire for ages.

Rolling to his stomach, he pushed himself to his knees. Raven crawled towards him and pounded her fists against his chest as she shouted out. "Nothing here? _Nothing here_?" Maybe if she kept saying those words, he would realize how _ridiculous_ they sounded, and how much they hurt her. She kept slamming her fists against his chest and repeating those two words, until the pounding because light, painless knocks, and her loud, harsh tone tuned to a soft whimper.

Garfield pulled her close.

You can't go." She whispered against his chest. "We'll miss, I mean, _I'll_ miss you too much." What was she saying? Was this the same Raven that couldn't even give two cents for his thoughts? "I may've acted like I hated you, or didn't ever want to be around you, but that's not true." Her pleading voice cracked. " _Stay_."

Her head was bowed and long violet locks framed her face, as she continued her soft words. "I care about you, Gar. And now, if you leave, I'll never know if.." Her voice faded away again. Man, she had _got_ to stop doing that.

He prompted her, placing both of his hands over hers. She removed her face from the damp spot on his chest and met his eyes. "I guess I'll never know if you care about me too." She let out a final sob, a choppy exhale.

What? How could she not know! He thought it was obvious how much he cared about her.

" _Rae_ ," He smiled sadly. "I _do_ care about you. More than you know." He let his thumb brush wet violet hair from her cheeks, and her pure amethyst eyes asked if he meant more. Beaming softly, he confirmed her question.

"So you'll stay?" She sniffed, and trailed her fingers over his collarbones rhythmically. Pushing aside his dufflebag, Garfield made his decision.

He swiftly pressed his lips to hers, drinking in her scent and embracing the essence of her everything, for the first time. Her lips were so innocent; she was such a mystery. There was _so much_ about Raven that he still needed to explore. _Yes, he would stay_.


End file.
